Years ago, President Obama pledged to close Guantanamo prison. It is an outrage to keep innocent people never charged with crime in hopeless, illegal lockup there. Worse, being kept in solitary confinement is a recognized form of torture, which is illegal as well as immoral. Many are there only because they are Yemeni, and it might be difficult to find a place to send them. Surely the interests of justice and humanity demand that this problem be solved. Lacking any other way to call attention to their plight, some have been on hunger strikes, resulting in their being painfully force-fed, another form of torture. If any internees are charged with crimes, they must be given their constitutionally required speedy trial, otherwise released and compensated for their maltreatment.



